In order to produce a set of medical findings, doctors frequently utilize image data which has been obtained by means of different imaging methods. In this situation, this image data is often already present in a standardized data format. However, a wide variety of different image viewer programs are nevertheless needed in order to display and evaluate the data. That is to say, different graphical tools need to be made available in order to enable a doctor to evaluate the image data obtained in different ways so as to produce a set of findings.
It is thus desirable with regard to displaying digital x-ray images to have the ability to change the contrast of an image. On the other hand, three-dimensional models of organs, such as can be calculated for example from data from tomography images, should be capable of being rotated by an observer on a screen display. To this end, suitable control elements must be present.
In the majority of cases, software tools for evaluating the data must also be tailored to the type of image data. For example, a tool for determining lengths in the case of x-ray images must take into consideration a perspective distortion caused by the radiographic technique.
A doctor must therefore nowadays also use an image viewer program specially developed for the purpose for viewing image data which has been obtained by using a quite specific method.
If a doctor therefore now utilizes a plurality of imaging methods in order to be able to produce an improved set of findings, then he is forced to start and to use a corresponding number of image viewer programs. A set of findings produced whilst viewing the different image data are in turn prepared by the doctor using a separate program, a word processing program for example.
A quite similar problem results for developers of a medical recording device. For each new recording device which uses a new imaging method, it is also namely always necessary to develop a new image viewer program. Each time one of the new recording devices is sold, it is then also necessary for doctors to be instructed in how to operate the associated new image viewer program.
Such an additional development effort for a new image viewer program may actually also arise in the situation when an imaging method which has been implemented in an already developed recording device is improved. The associated image viewer program must then often also be adapted. In a hospital in which the corresponding recording device is already in use, there are in this situation possibly a great many computer workstations at which the image viewer program is already being used. The replacement of an image viewer program can then represent a very considerable outlay.
A method is known when using the computer program product PowerPoint® from the Microsoft® company in conjunction with the preparation of presentation slides, for a majority of presentation slides which are intended to exhibit a standardized division and a common slide frame, for forming each presentation slide by means of at least two subslides in each case. In this situation, the frame is determined by means of a subslide referred to as the master page. In addition, free fields are present on a master page. These fields are then filled with content by way of at least one further subslide, a so-called presentation page. By always using the same master page and different presentation pages it is then possible to produce presentation slides having a standardized organization.